This invention relates to a connector for use in electric and electronic appliances such as car navigation systems and the like, and more particularly to a connector having a floating structure permitting the connector to be fitted with a mating connector even if there is some positional deviation therebetween.
In order to connect two substrates, in general, two connectors (for example, a plug connector and a receptacle connector) have been used. The two connectors each mainly includes a plurality of contacts and an insulator made of an electrically insulating material for arranging and holding the contacts. As the two connectors are connected to the substrates by soldering or the like, respectively, some positional deviation between the connectors may unavoidably occur. Consequently, either of the connectors has been of a floating construction to accommodate or cancel such a positional deviation in many cases.
Connectors having a floating construction have been disclosed in the following Patent Literatures 1 to 3, among which the Patent Literatures 2 and 3, incidentally, have been proposed by the assignee of the present application.
Patent Literature 1
According to the ABSTRACT of Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2004-63,358, this prior art has an object to provide a floating electrical connector which is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and achieves a greater floating displacement. The floating electrical connector includes a plurality of terminals obtained by working metal plates and held by an inner housing and an outer housing surrounding the inner housing around an axis in the connector fitting direction. The terminals each have a contact portion at one end held by the inner housing, a connection portion at the other end held by and extending from the outer housing, and a flexible portion formed between the contact portion and the connection portion. In this way, the inner housing is supported by the flexible portions of the terminals in a movable manner relative to the outer housing. In the floating electrical connector, the plurality of the terminals are arranged with plate surfaces of their metal plates being flush with one another, and the terminals are worked in their thickness direction so as to be curved to form flexible portions between the inner and outer housings and held by the inner and outer housings by integrally forming them by insert molding.
In connection with the above description, claim 1 of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2004-63,358 recites a floating electrical connector including a plurality of terminals obtained by working metal plates and held by an inner housing and an outer housing surrounding the inner housing around an axis in the connector fitting direction, and the terminals each having a contact portion at one end held by the inner housing, a connection portion at the other end held by and extending from the outer housing, and a flexible portion formed between the contact portion and the connection portion, so that the inner housing is movable relative to the outer housing by means of the flexible portions of the terminals, wherein the plurality of terminals are arranged with plate surfaces of their metal plates being flush with one another, and the terminals are worked in their thickness direction so as to be curved to form flexible portions between the inner and outer housings and held by the inner and outer housings by integrally forming them by insert molding. Claim 2 recites that in the floating electrical connector described in claim 1, the flexible portions of the terminals have a width narrower than those of their contact portions and the connection portions. Claim 3 recites that in the floating electrical connector described in claim 1, the outer housing includes regulating members mounted thereon, which are adapted to abut against parts of the inner housing to regulate movements of the inner housing in the fitting direction of the connector. Claim 4 recites that in the floating electrical connector described in claim 3, the regulating members are made of a metal. Claim 5 recites that in the floating electrical connector described in claim 1 or 3, the inner housing includes fitting introducing protrusions for conducting a mating connector when it is being fitted with the connector. Claim 6 recites that in the floating electrical connector described in claim 1 or 2, the inner housing and the outer housing are connected by a jointing portion which is able to be disconnected. Claim 7 recites that in the floating electrical connector described in one of claim 1, 2, 3 and 6, the inner housing includes an arrangement wall linearly extending when viewed in the fitting direction of the connector, on which wall surface the contact portions of the terminals are arranged, and transverse legs located at both longitudinal ends of the arrangement wall and extending perpendicularly to the arrangement wall, and tips of the transverse legs are adapted to abut against the outer housing upon movement of the inner housing so that the tips form lateral direction regulating portions, the flexible portions of the terminals being positioned in the space between the arrangement wall and the outer housing.
Patent Literature 2
According to the ABSTRACT of Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2003-45,525, this prior art has an object to provide a connector which is of a floating construction and able to position connection portions of contacts with a simple construction without increasing the number of parts. In a connector including contacts each having a contact portion adapted to contact a mating contact, a fixed portion to be fixed to a block, and a connection portion to be connected to a substrate, and the block for holding and fixing therein a required number of the contacts, the above object can be achieved by features in that the contacts each comprise an elastic portion having at least one meandering portion between the fixed portion and the connection portion, and the block is provided with a housing having a substantially box shape with a clearance relative to the outer dimension of the block and located on the side of the connection portions of the contacts, thereby enabling the positioning of the connection portions of the contacts in relation to the substrate and enabling also floating of the connector. Moreover, the contacts are each provided between the elastic portion and the connection portion with a fitting portion adapted to engage an inserting hole of the housing.
In connection with the above description, claim 1 of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2003-45,525 recites a connector to be mounted on a substrate, including contacts each having a contact portion adapted to contact a mating contact, a fixed portion to be fixed to a block, and a connection portion to be connected to the substrate, and the block for holding and fixing a required number of the contacts, wherein the contacts each comprise an elastic portion having at least one meandering portion between the fixed portion and the connection portion, and the block is provided with a housing having a substantially box shape with a clearance relative to the outer dimension of the block and located on the side of the connection portions of the contacts, thereby enabling the positioning of the connection portions of the contacts in relation to the substrate and enabling the connector to be in floating condition. Claim 2 recites that in the connector described in claim 1, the housing having arm portions is formed on both sides in width direction with slits adjacent to the arm portions to provide elasticity to the arm portions for facilitating mounting of locking portions of the block onto the arm portions. Claim 3 recites that in the connector described in claim 2, the contacts are each provided between the elastic portion and the connection portion with a fitting portion adapted to engage an inserting hole of the housing.
Patent Literature 3
According to the ABSTRACT of Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2002-352,908, this prior art has an object to provide a connector which is of a floating construction and able to position connection portions of contacts with a simple construction without increasing the number of parts. In a connector including contacts each having a contact portion adapted to contact a mating contact, a fixed portion to be fixed to a block, and a connection portion to be connected to a substrate, and the block for holding and fixing therein a required number of the contacts, the above object can be achieved by features in that the contacts each comprise an elastic portion between the fixed portion and the connection portion, and a housing is provided which has a substantially box shape with a clearance relative to the outer dimension of the block and located on the side of the connection portions of the contacts, thereby enabling the positioning of the connection portions of the contacts in relation to the substrate and enabling also floating of the connector. In order to facilitate the floating, the elastic portion of each of the contacts includes at least one meandering portion.
In connection with the above description, claim 1 of the Japanese Patent Application Opened No. 2002-352,908 recites a connector to be mounted on a substrate, including contacts each having a contact portion adapted to contact a mating connector, a fixed portion to be fixed to a block, and a connection portion to be connected to the substrate, and the block for holding and fixing a required number of the contacts, wherein the contacts each comprise an elastic portion between the fixed portion and the connection portion, and a housing is provided which has a substantially box shape with a clearance relative to the outer dimension of the block and located on the side of the connection portions of the contacts, thereby enabling the positioning of the connection portions of the contacts in relation to the substrate and enabling also floating of the connector. Claim 2 recites that in the connector described in claim 1, the elastic portion of each of contacts includes at least one meandering portion. Claim 3 recites that in the connector described in claim 2, a cross-shaped positioning portion is provided between the elastic portion and the connection portion of each of the contacts. Claim 4 recites that in the connector described in claim 3, the housing is provided with a required number of inserting grooves in the surface on the substrate connection side for inserting the contacts, between which inserting grooves there are provided plate-shaped members which are each provided with a protrusion on one side and a guide face on the other side, while an inclined face A and an inclined face B are provided contiguous to each of the guide faces, and an inclined portion is provided which is substantially perpendicular to and contiguous to the inclined face A. Claim 5 recites that in the connector described in claim 4, each of the contacts is installed into the housing by steps of first inserting the contact with the tip of the cross-shaped positioning portion along the guide face, then causing the tip to move along the inclined portion and the inclined face A toward the protrusion, further causing the tip to move along the inclined face B toward the protrusion, and causing the cross-shaped positioning portion to fall onto the protrusion and installed portion.
In the case that two substrates are connected to each other, two connectors (for example, a plug connector and a receptacle connector) are generally used. As the two connectors are connected to the substrates by soldering or the like, respectively, there would be a problem that unless accurate positioning means are taken, it will often become impossible to connect the connectors. If such accurate positioning means are taken, however, the cost of fabrication would go up unwillingly.
In order to make it possible to connect two connectors even if there is any deviation therebetween, one of the two connectors has been often configured to be supported in a floating condition so as to accommodate or cancel the deviation therebetween.
In the connectors disclosed in the Patent Literature 1, however, when the connectors have been fitted with each other, contacts of the floating connector would frequently contact a substrate to cause short circuit, resulting in defective or failed connection.
On the other hand, with the connectors disclosed in the Patent Literatures 2 and 3, the floating amounts are determined depending upon clearances at engaging portions of the two insulators so that more than 0.4 mm of floating amounts could not be achieved.